What do you think about the term "quarter-life crisis"?

Question

Do you think that a good portion of today's 20-somethings are affected by this? In what ways and to what extent? Just interested in what you have to say (oh and including your age would be helpful - an age range....ex: 25-30 (my age group) if you don't feel comfortable telling your exact age).....thanks :)

Answer 1

Yeah, I think a "quarter-life crisis" is when an individual discovers himself (or herself) and realizes that his life is not working out the way he envisioned it. It is a chaotic job market, given the rapid rate of change running through it. I have heard that many younger people who think they are preparing themselves for a successful career by getting an education find out that they are unable to land the job they want. My age is 29 and I have found it very difficult to penetrate the job market.

Answer 2

The Quarter-Life Crisis
by unknown

It is when you stop going along with the crowd and start realizing that there are a lot of things about yourself that you didn't know and may or may not like. You start feeling insecure and wonder where you will be in a year or two, but then get scared because you barely know where you are now.

You start realizing that people are selfish and that, maybe, those friends that you thought you were so close to aren't exactly the greatest people you have ever met and the people you have lost touch with are some of the most important ones. What you do not realize is that they are realizing that too and are not really cold or catty or mean or insincere, but that they are as confused as you.

You look at your job. It is not even close to what you thought you would be doing or maybe you are looking for one and realizing that you are going to have to start at the bottom and are scared.

You miss the comforts of college, of groups, of socializing with the same people on a constant basis. But then you realize that maybe they weren't so great after all.

You are beginning to understand yourself and what you want and do not want. Your opinions have gotten stronger. You see what others are doing and find yourself judging a bit more than usual because suddenly you realize that you have certain boundaries in your life and add things to your list of what is acceptable and what is not. You are insecure and then secure. You laugh and cry with the greatest force of your life. You feel alone and scared and confused. Suddenly change is the enemy and you try and cling on to the past with dear life but soon realize that the past is drifting further and further away and there is nothing to do but stay where you are or move forward.

You get your heart broken and wonder how someone you loved could do such damage to you or you lay in bed and wonder why you can't meet anyone decent enough to get to know better. You love someone but maybe love someone else too and cannot figure out why you are doing this because you are not a bad person.

One night stands and random hook ups start to look cheap and getting wasted and acting like an idiot starts to look pathetic. You go through the same emotions and questions over and over and talk with your friends about the same topics because you cannot seem to make a decision.

You worry about loans and money and the future and making a life for yourself and while wining the race would be great, right now you'd just like to be a contender!

What you may not realize is that everyone reading this relates to it. We are in our best of times and our worst of times, trying as hard as we can to figure this whole thing out.

Answer 3

I think that you can have a crisis in your life no matter what your age is. There is so much pressure on everyone under 40 to make the world a better place, that many of the younger generation, the 20 somethings, are having their crisis' early. I dont believe it is a conscious effort on their part, but I dont think the 20 somethings were not taught the skills to cope with life outside of home and college...i.e. the real world.

And I am between 35-40.

Answer 4

I think the term mid-life crisis is incorrect because they give that term to people who are in their 50's generally. Most people do not live to be 100. In fact alot of people only make it to be about 60 or 70 years old so it really is an imprecise term.

I am 31 years old and with my family's genetics I am probably having my mid-life crisis right now. A quarter life crisis for me would mean that I had it at age 15. That is generally called being a teenager or puberty....

I think we should generalize the whole thing and just refer to it as life crisis...

Answer 5

Well... "quarter-life crisis," huh? I think people often label too quickly and try to find patterns and generalities in too many things. Life can be challenging. We can learn from examining others' actions and mistakes. We can also learn from our own. Maybe the label is valuable... a way of defining what was difficult for each of us in our twenties. Maybe the term is setting people up to expect hardship. I am 34... guess I'm looking forward to my mid-life crisis, though I fully expect to learn from each problem I have on my way there!

Answer 6

Yes, I think that they are. Many see themselves going nowhere, and don't have a direction to turn to. Others set goals and did the school time, but hate their lives. Some find no time for fun if they are in a stressful job. Some party all the time, and don't find time to work.

I don't think it's their fault, nor do I think it is their parents fault. My belief is that so many kids grew up with no parents at home (as they had no choice but to work fulltime/overtime), no guidance, in schools that just let them slide between the cracks, etc.

I am the mom of 6, grandma of 3, and past 45.

Answer 7

Quarter-life, beginning-life, medium-life. Crisis are a part of life at any age. I'm 56 and if I'm not in some crisis or other Ill find one or if I wait one finds me. There are plenty to go around.

Answer 8

I think many people in your age group are hung up on having a crisis as something to talk about. Life is what you make it, why not make it great?

Answer 9

I am a little embarrassed to say it but I went through one recently, I am 25 now. Its such a huge deal nowadays, age. And when you are young there is so much pressure to accomplish so much by a certain age and when you don't meet them you start to panic when you are nearing thirty. Its real but its just no necassary, we should just be able to enjoy our age as it comes.

Answer 10

Never heard that term.